There was a 42% increase in the number of referrals to The Property Ombudsman (TPO) last year, according to The Property Ombudsman’s Annual Report for 2014.

The latest publication of The Property Ombudsman’s annual report shows that six months after the introduction of new legislation, making […]

Referrals To The Property Ombudsman Increase

Huge Rise In Referrals To
The Property Ombudsman

There was a 42% increase in the number of referrals to The Property Ombudsman (TPO) last year, according to The Property Ombudsman’s Annual Report for 2014.

The latest publication of The Property Ombudsman’s annual report shows that six months after the introduction of new legislation, making it a legal requirement for UK letting agents and property managers to join one of the three government approved redress schemes, the number of letting agencies and property management companies signed up to the TPO scheme has reached 12,915, a new record level.

The 42% increase in registered property lettings and estate agent businesses brings the total number of UK estate agents and property lettings offices offering free, independent route to resolve property and tenancy disputes to 26,735.

The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) have predicted that gross mortgage lending in the UK will increase by 16% over the next two years.

The CML says gross mortgage lending in the UK reached around £207 Billion (GBP) in 2014 and they firmly believe that gross mortgage lending will grow by 7% to £222 Billion (GBP) during 2015.

Following that, the CML also forecast a further 8% increase to £240 Billion (GBP) in 2016, up 16% when compared to gross mortgage lending in 2014.

While the CML are happy to forecast 2 years of mortgage lending growth, it acknowledges that the pace of growth has slowed compared with the 18% recorded from 2013 to 2014, with gross mortgage lending increasing from £176 Billion (GBP) in 2013 to £207 Billion (GBP) in 2014.

In its analysis, the CML said that the stamp duty reforms announced by the Chancellor, George Osborne, in the Autumn budget would help boost overall mortgage lending activity, following the lull encountered in the summer of 2014.

New Immigration Legislation Dictates That Landlords Can Only Let To Tenants Who Have The Right To Rent

As of today, 1st December 2014, new legislation has come into force in Birmingham, Walsall, Sandwell, Dudley and Wolverhampton. The requirement will come in to force in those areas dictating that all UK private rented sector landlords […]

New Right To Rent Immigration Legislation Now In Force

New Immigration Legislation Dictates That Landlords Can Only
Let To Tenants Who Have The Right To Rent

As of today, 1st December 2014, new legislation has come into force in Birmingham, Walsall, Sandwell, Dudley and Wolverhampton. The requirement will come in to force in those areas dictating that all UK private rented sector landlords must only let properties to immigrants that have the right to rent property in the UK and the landlords of the West Midlands are the legislative guinea pigs.

The introduction of the Right To Rent law has particular importance to UK PRS landlords who house foreign nationals or operate Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMO’s or multi-let properties) and those landlords using Rent 2 Rent (R2R) strategies.

Under the Immigration Bill (2014) private rented sector landlords are responsible for checking the immigration status of all potential tenants, with fines of up to £3000 (GBP) for landlords who fail to conduct this procedure. Employers will also face “more substantial” fines for employing illegal immigrants.

There has been a lot of editorial commentary in the media focusing on the surge in UK Buy To Let property investment over recent weeks.

There are numerous reports that the total value of properties owned by 2.5 Million buy-to-let investors is fast approaching the total […]

Buy To Let Investment Beating Pension Investments

Buy To Let More Popular Than Traditional Pension Saving

There has been a lot of editorial commentary in the media focusing on the surge in UK Buy To Let property investment over recent weeks.

There are numerous reports that the total value of properties owned by 2.5 Million buy-to-let investors is fast approaching the total amassed in workers’ pension schemes built up over decades of employment.

The Telegraph reckons that a total of £1.25 Trillion (GBP) has been invested in buy to let property and this figure is still increasing compared to £1.6 Trillion (GBP) that has been invested in pensions.

Changes to pension legislation announced by Chancellor George Osborne in the Spring 2014 budget, could see more money taken out of pensions and put into the UK’s Buy To Let (BTL) market.

Would be residential property buyers are dismayed about the change of the rules on residential mortgages, with strict lending criteria tightened following the introduction of the Mortgage Market Review (MMR).

Since 26th April 2014, mortgage lenders have been required to carry out much more detailed checks of […]

Mortgage Market Review Already Causing Delays For Borrowers

Mortgage Market Review Already Causing Delays For Borrowers

Would be residential property buyers are dismayed about the change of the rules on residential mortgages, with strict lending criteria tightened following the introduction of the Mortgage Market Review (MMR).

Since 26th April 2014, mortgage lenders have been required to carry out much more detailed checks of a borrower’s financial situation to be sure that they can truly afford to purchase and continue to afford the property, both now and in the future.

The introduction of the MMR is supposed to help regulate the residential property purchase market and does not yet apply to buy to let mortgages, but that could happen in time.

Land Registry Data Show Property Values Not Rising As Fast As Predicted

Data from the Land Registry’s House Price Index (HPI) in March 2014, shows that overall annual UK property values have increased by just 5.6%, taking the average UK property value to £169,124 (GBP).

The monthly change from February to March 2014 […]

Land Registry Data Show Property Values Not Rising As Fast As Predicted

Data from the Land Registry’s House Price Index (HPI) in March 2014, shows that overall annual UK property values have increased by just 5.6%, taking the average UK property value to £169,124 (GBP).

The monthly change from February to March 2014 actually shows a property value decrease of 0.4%, however London saw property values increase by 12.4%, while the Eastern and North East regions experienced their greatest monthly rise, with property values rising by 1.1%.

Wales was the only UK region to experience an annual price drop of 1.6% and was also the only region that showed the most significant monthly price fall with values down 4.2%.

A new economic forecast by Ernst & Young’s (EY) independent forecasting group, the Item Club, reckons that Bank of England (BoE) interest rates will remain at their historic low until the end of 2015 as wages start to outstrip […]

BoE Base Interest Rate Set To Remain Low Until 2015

Base Interest Rates Set To Remain At Low Levels Until The End Of 2015

A new economic forecast by Ernst & Young’s (EY) independent forecasting group, the Item Club, reckons that Bank of England (BoE) interest rates will remain at their historic low until the end of 2015 as wages start to outstrip inflation.

The Bank of England’s base rate has an impact on mortgage loans on property and savings returns and with the base rate remaining at 0.5%, it expects house prices to rise by 7.4% this year and 7.2% next year.

A survey carried out by the National Landlords Association (NLA) in 2013 found that students are some of the best tenant types housed in the PRS as they are less likely to miss rent and student properties tend to offer better returns.

Now, fresh research by Total […]

Insurance Statistics Prove Students Are The Best Tenants

Insurance Statistics Prove Students Are The Best Tenants

A survey carried out by the National Landlords Association (NLA) in 2013 found that students are some of the best tenant types housed in the PRS as they are less likely to miss rent and student properties tend to offer better returns.

Now, fresh research by Total Landlord Insurance in 2014 also shows that students are the most reliable tenants in the private rented sector (PRS) as only 9.6% of insurance claims come from student properties, the second lowest of any tenant group, so there may be something to the claims after all, who would have thought?

The average insurance claim made by the landlord of a student property was £2,090.18 (GBP) in 2013, compared to £6,072.97 (GBP) for a typical residential property housing tenants claiming state benefits.

There could be more good news for UK property investors over the coming months as projections for the rest of 2014 indicate that property prices are set to rise even more, providing the potential of greater Return On Investments (ROI).

Since the UK housing market crash in 2008, UK […]

2014 UK Property Prices To Increase Further

UK Property Prices Continue To Increase

There could be more good news for UK property investors over the coming months as projections for the rest of 2014 indicate that property prices are set to rise even more, providing the potential of greater Return On Investments (ROI).

Since the UK housing market crash in 2008, UK property prices slumped and were depressed for some time afterwards due to uncertainty in the economy, however, the end of 2013 saw the UK property market spring back to life.

The data from Halifax is great news for property owners and shows that the UK property market is well and truly back on its feet. So, if you’re a property investor who is planning on investing in property in 2014, you can expect to see property prices continuing to rise.

2014 started with residential property prices on the increase and more people buying and selling. The introduction of the 2nd phase of the Government’s Help-To-Buy scheme in October 2013 allowed property purchasers to get 95% Loan-To-Value (LTV) mortgages, heralding the return of the first-time buyer to the UK property market.

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